Hockey-Ireland women take “monumental achievement” home from first Games

TOKYO, July 31 (Reuters) – Debutants Eire took an emotional hit on Saturday after exiting the ladies’s hockey match on the Tokyo Video games following a 2-0 defeat by Britain, regardless of giving all they’d of their 5 Olympic matches.

“I am devastated. I am so pleased with the ladies and all the hassle they put in,” stated a sobbing goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran.

“I am unable to fault it and I am proud to drag on the inexperienced jersey. I am devastated our journey has to finish now as this group.

“I imagine we’ve got a lot extra however yeah, it is powerful proper now.”

Eire wanted a win to make it into the knockout levels.

Earlier than Tokyo, Eire had by no means certified for the ladies’s Olympics hockey match, which was added to the Video games schedule in 1980.

The Inexperienced Military had narrowly missed out on qualifying for each the 2012 and 2016 Video games.

A upset head coach Sean Dancer stated the group wanted to maintain shifting ahead.

“It’s what it’s,” he stated.

Veteran Chloe Watkins additionally stated it was onerous to take every little thing in.

“We clearly needed extra from this match,” she stated.

“However on the finish of the day – hopefully in a couple of days, a couple of weeks – we glance again and realise what we did.

“We’re right here on the Olympic Video games. That is a monumental achievement for us as a nation and as gamers individually.”

McFerran stated she didn’t know what to anticipate when the group arrives again dwelling.

“I have never even thought that far forward. I did not consider ending this quickly,” she stated with amusing.

“I do know household and buddies are going to be super-proud of us. The hockey in Eire I hope will nonetheless be on the bandwagon.”

Reporting by Daniel Leussink, modifying by Pritha Sarkar

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.